The Mud Kingdom

Summary:

The Mud Kingdom stretches across the western coast of mainland Pyrrhia and is home to vast mountain ranges and lush grasslands laden with fertile soil. It was once a great empire that spanned most of western Pyrrhia, but its borders gradually receded after constant skirmishes with the neighboring SkyWings that reduced it to a shadow of its former self. Its lands are dotted by the ruins of castles and fortresses that once stood in the time of the Scorching, many having been razed by invading SkyWings and most of the rest having been torn down following the dissolution of the Empire. The sprawling capital of Doyousai stands as a testament to the MudWings’ strength and fortitude. Their ruler – Empress Ban – oversaw the kingdom’s participation in the tumultuous SandWing Civil War and has seen some criticism from her subjects over her handling of the situation, as well as her decision to get involved at all. Whispers of rebellion stir at the heart of this once great nation, as the world watches with bated breath for signs of yet another devastating war. 

Notable Locations:

Doyousai City:

The city of Doyousai (or tsuchinoyousai as it was known as at the time) was constructed millenia ago during the Scorching, where it stood as a mighty bastion in the west against the forces of humanity. Not once did a single human set food past its formidable walls which still stand tall to this day. Doyousai Castle which sits at its center remained a powerful military fortification for thousands of years following the devastating conflict until it was transitioned into purely a seat of government following the dissolution of the MudWing Empire. Over the years a vast city has expanded around the castle, spilling out of the walls onto the countryside beyond and making it into the largest settlement on the continent. The city is a major commercial hub and sees much trade from SeaWings who come in along the river running alongside the hilltop upon which the city is situated.

Doyousai Castle:

While Doyousai Castle may not be as large as some of the other palaces across the continent it is easily the oldest, having stood since the times of the Scorching. The castle’s fortifications were tailor made for fighting off attacking armies of humans, although as the humans never even made it past the enormous stone wall surrounding the it they never saw much use.

The castle rests atop a tall foundation of stacked stones that sits at the center of a dragon-made moat fed by two canals from the nearby river. The foundation is much more spacious than the main structure of the castle itself, with the rest of the space occupied by a maze of gardens and courtyards encircled by walls and watchtowers. Holes of varying shapes and sizes litter the sides of the walls, offering plenty of spaces for archers to rain death upon any invaders lucky enough to make it up the steep stone steps that connect the artificial island to the mainland. Plants and foliage from across the continent can be found in the gardens, many having been diplomatic gifts from rival rulers over the eons.

The castle itself consists of a wide base capped by two great towers, their imposing visage visible from kilometers away.

Hataya Village:

Hataya Village has been around since as far back as the Scorching, its residents tracing their lineage back generations to this small, secluded hamlet in the mountains of the Diamond Spray Tributaries. The village specializes in the production of silk, which for centuries was traded with nearby villages and even the capital of Doyousai itself in exchange for food and supplies to keep the village running. The SandWing Civil War caused a drastic decrease in demand for luxury goods like silk, which soured many of the villagers’ opinions of the Empress and her decision to enter the conflict, only further exacerbated by the conscription of some of its residents in the later years of the war. With the war finally ended, the villagers had hope that trade would resume as it had decades before. Those hopes were quickly dashed by the discovery of an entire continent of silk-spinning dragons, leaving the village’s main export completely redundant and the villagers without a stable source of income. Many have begun to take up agriculture and other occupations in order to offset this, though few have been able to produce enough of a surplus to trade.